interview
platform help to give the station a futuristic feel – you know
Compared to its franchised neighbours,
you haven’t arrived by Tube. As Heathrow Express’s MD
Heathrow Express has a lot of freedoms –
obligingly poses for Rail Professional’s photographer on the
way up to departures, the inevitable security guard comes no cap on ticket prices, relative freedom
over to check that we aren’t terrorists. Heathrow Express
to set its own timetables and a longer
itself is not immune to the security measures that go hand-
in-hand with airport operations – each time a train arrives
time span in which to work than most
at the airport, staff sweep the train to check for suspect
franchisees
devices.
Does Robinson know how long BAA’s infrastructure
investments will take to pay for themselves? time span in which to work than most franchisees. But it
‘I’d probably answer that in a slightly different way. It’s does have some limitations. In 2023 its position will be
now circa £1bn-worth of investment, including the T5 reviewed by the government and this may lead to some sort
station. So, does that finance itself with our operations? of franchise competition. Other than that, its regulation is
Yes. But that’s quite a different thing to it paying for itself. closely linked to the airport – and, as Heathrow Express
Have we paid back £1bn of the bank loans? No. But all is paid for out of airline charges, it is accountable to the
of our revenues go into the single till for regulation, and airlines.
revenues are offset against costs. For the year ended 31 December, 2008, the Heathrow
‘That’s what sets the airline charges, so we’re part of quite Express Operating Company made a profit of £6.2m on a
a different set up to the Tocs. We provide a five-year business turnover of £56m. It is not subsidised by the government,
plan to the Civil Aviation Authority, which includes all the so the operator carries all the risk without having the safety
revenues we think we’re going to make over five years, then net of a cap and collar arrangement. Journeys cost £16.50 for
there’s how much needs to be invested in operations and ‘express’, or second class, singles and take just 15 minutes
capital. There’s a difference between those two amounts of each way, with an extra four minutes to the Terminal 5 stop.
money and that’s the bit that has to be funded by airline Trains depart every 15 minutes.
charges. That’s essentially how they work out the airline ‘We’re better than half the price of a taxi,’ says Robinson.
charge per passenger.’ ‘We’re three times faster than a taxi getting to the airport.’
Compared to its franchised neighbours, Heathrow Punctuality is currently running at 99.9 per cent, with
Express has a lot of freedoms – no cap on ticket prices, passenger satisfaction scoring consistently highly in the
relative freedom to set its own timetables and a longer National Passenger Survey. The most recent score was 92
24 rail professional : JANUARY 2010
RPJan10 pp22-25 Interview.indd 24 10/12/09 15:27:56
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